Improvement in apparatus for distilling petroleum



2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

H. B. EVEREST.

APPARATUS FOR MANUP AGTURING OILS FROM PETROLEUM BY STEAM.

Patente'dS-eptfi, 18 67.:

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Lllllll wfnep sgf ln/veni frj W' 2 SheetsSheet 2 E. B. EVEREST. IAPPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING OILS FROM PETROLEUM BY STEAM.

No 68,426. Patented Sept.3, 1867.

I I l I l I l I l L UNITED STATES PATENT QFFIOE.

HIRAM B. EVEREST, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, Assren'on TO THE VACUUM OILCOMPANY, on THE SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR Dl STlLLiNG PETROLEUM.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 68, 326, datedSeptember 3, 1867.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, HIRAM B. EVEREST, of Rochester, in the county ofMonroe, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for Distilling Petroleum; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a'i'ull and exact description thereof,referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, making part of thisspecification.

detailed view of the pipes in the retorts'; Fig. 7, a verticallongitudinal section of the boiler in plane m a, Fig. 9; Fig. 8, asimilar section of the snperheating-furnace in plane y 3,1, Fig. 9;Fig.9, a plan of the combined boiler and superheatiug furnace; Fig. 10,an end elevation of the same.

Like letters of referenceindieate corresponding parts in all thefigures.

This apparatus is designed for manufacturing three distinct productsfrom petroleum under vacuum by steam in an economical and efiectivemanner, whereby the naphtha is removed, as a distinct product, from theilluminating-oil, while the operation of distillation is made morecontinuous than it otherwise could be, and at the same time a valuableheavy oil obtained, thus rendering the products from petroleum, as awhole, more valuable than they otherwise would be.

My invention consists in combining two or more vacuuin petroleum-stillswith each other in such a manner that while the lighter hydrocarbons arebeing distilled from the crude pe troleum in one of the stills theheavier portions are being distilled in the other, thus making theoperation more continuous than it otherwise would be, the oil being fedfrom one retort into the other, as circumstances require, at the sametime econognizing in the amount of steam used for distilling purposes bypassing it, in a su1' erheate(l state, through the heating-pipes in theretort containing the least volatile portions of the petroleum, andafterward conducting it through the pipes in the second retortcontaining the lighter and more volatile portions of petroleum, thusmaking the latent heat of the steam eti'ective after the superheat hasbeen extracted from it.

Also, in the construction of a horizontal elongated cylindrical orelliptical vacuum-retort for petroleinn-stills, as a cheaper andmoreadvantageous form than those heretofore known or used, for'containingstraight heating-pipes and exposing alarger surface to the distillingaction, and in furnishing attachment for several goose-necks instead ofone, as in ordinary stills. I

Also, in combining with a vacuum retort for petroleum one or morecapacious condensers connected with the retort by numerous necks, sothat the vapors arising from the oil in the retort may pass cit freelyand in a more direct line than they otherwise would do, and at the sametime preventing the exhaust-pain p from drawing the oil fruin'theretort,as is apt tube the case where but onenecltisfused upon the retort, orwhere the ordinary condensing-coil is used.

Also, in the combination of a capacious condenser or condensersinterposed between an ordinary condensing-coil and the retort, so thatthe direct action oi the exhaust-pump upon the oil in the retort isbroken or diminished, at the same time the effective condensing power ofthe apparatus is increased.

Also, in the em ploynientot' suitable receiving vessels placed betweenthe vacuum-pump and condensers in such a ,position that the dis tilledoil is depositedin them by itsown gravity, thus avoiding the delivery ofthe distilled oils through the pump.

Also, in surrounding the upperportion of either or both of the vacuumpetroleum-retorts with a jacket for applying steam or heated airexternally to the same, to obviate the condensation. of the oil-vapor asit rises against the upper surface of the retort;

Also, in the construction and use of an independent superheating-furnacefor superheating steam, when used in combination with a steam-generatorand a vacuum-still for petro leum, as hereinafter set forth.

Also, in constructing saidindependent super- I heater for steamalongside of a honor in such a manner that the same fire used in thesuperheating-fu'rnacc is conducted through a linespace at the rear ofthe boiler, and thence passing through the tubes of the boiler assistsin generating steam, and thus economizing the use of fuel and increasingthe effective capacity of the distilling apparatus.

Also, in the constructiouof said superheating-furnace for steam withnumerous sections of small pipes connected with main, pipes forinduct-ion and eduction'of the steam iusuch a manner as to use straightgas-pipe instead of coils, and to present a larger amount ofheating-surface than-is ordinarily the case, thereby insuring a suitabledegree of heat for disfilling petroleum, without so great dangerfromexplosion of the superheater.

Also, in connecting the main eduction-pipe of the superheater with thenumerous sections of small pipes in the interior of the retorts by meansof a steam-chest bolted to the head of the retort, one portion orflue-space inv said I steam'chcst-admitting the steam to a den ofsmaller heating-pipes in the retort, while the other flue-space exhauststhe same.

Also, in placin g in upright position and packin g the sections of smallheating-pipes in. the retort through the head of the same in suchamanner as to be easily removed for repairs.

Also, in the application of an oil-gageto a vacuum-still for petroleum,similar invconstruction to the gage commonly used. upon Vacuumpans forsugar, and made available for observations of the quantity of oil in theretort, by placing the same at an unusual distance from the retort, andkeeping the liquid in the gage at a'low temperature.

As-represcnted in the drawings, A'is. the primary, and A. thesecondary,retorts, which are connected by a draw-pipe, a, with astopcock, Fig. 1, by which the contents of A are drawn into A. Theseretorts, instead of being made upright, as usual, are horizontal and ofconsiderablelength, being either cylindrical, as shown, or any otherform that will answer the desired purpose. This form enables me toinsert the straight heating-pipe, hereafter described, withoutdifficulty, and to arrange the same so as to produce a largeheating-surface, as welt-as toattach and detach easily for repairs, 850.It. also presents a larger. vaporizing-surface than the ordinary uprightform, and gives room for the attachment of a series of goose-necks, bywhich. the vapor is carried off more readily. The primary retort A (andthe other, i'f desired) has its top coveredor inclosed. by a jacket, 0,Figs. 1 and 4, by which steam or hot air is let on through pipe 7' anddischarged through pipe j. By this means I. am enabled to prevent thatcondensationof the vapor that would occur if it came directly in contactwith the top of the retort cooled bythe surrounding atmosphere.

The top being always hot as Well as the bottom, the vapor will-retainits form and pass off. In addition to this, the heated top of the- Fig.5 may be employed.

the series of condensers connect two separate retort sen es to vaporizesuchparticles as are carried up without being properly separated. Fromthe tops of the retorts respectively passes a series of goose-necks, B Band B B, connecting with corresponding series of capacious condensers, GG and G O, submerged in a water-tank D. Instead of the upright for ofthe condensers indicated in Fig. 1, the horizontal elongated formindicated in With the bottom of condensin -coils of pipe, E E, restingin a water-tank, D, and these coils, passing out through the tank,connect respectively with receivers F F for retaining the distilled oil.

The position of these receivers is'lower than the condensers, so thatthe distillate will be deposited in them by their own gravitation.

. The receivers are provided at the bottom with draw-cocks b b,fordischarging the refined oil,,and with air-cocks c c, for admittingair to supply the vacuum in drawing the oil.

From the tops of the receivers extend branch exhaust-pipes G G unitingin a single exhaust-pipe, G, which connects with the pump, forexhausting air-from-the apparatus. VVhen the exhaust is applied it willbe seen that it operates to produce avacuum from the re ceivers clearback to the retorts through the parts E E, G O, and'B'B. Y

1 In order to make the pump act, when desired,

upon onlyone of the retorts audits accompanying connections, the branchpipes G G have cocks d d, as shown. The retorts are provided each withjet-pipes H H, pierced with numerous small holes, for the in j ectiou ofsteam into-the body of the oil',:t-he said pipes passing out andconnecting with the main pipe from the superheater, which will presentlybe described.

- The retorts'have each, also,instead of coils, a series ofheating-pipes,I 1, made of straight pieces, ff, of gas-pipe, screwinginto returns g, and'forming either single-bends, as in Fig. 4,

'.or double ones, as in Fig. 6,,as may, be desired,

though the latter are the most effective in large stills.- These pipesare placed side by side in ;the retorts, and rest in a verticalpositiomand the free ends are inserted in the head of the retort, andare held in place and packed at the same time by lock-nuts which screwon the. pipe inside and out and clamp against ;the said head; or theymay be fastened in by calkin g. The ends of the pipes thus arranged openinto compartments 0; i of chests K'K,

"bolted to the head's-ofthe retorts. The main induction-pipe L from thesuperheater opens into the upper compartment, '5, of the steamchest K.The steam thus admitted is carried round through the pipes I into thelower compartment, i, and thence it is carried by pipe L into the lowercompartment of steam-chest K, when it again makes a circuit throughpipes I of the retort A, and finally escapes through the cxhaustrpipe LThe stean'i-generator consists of a bQllGl",l\i[,

itself, and thus assist in generating the steam.

= The superheatingfurnace is made with the upward incline shown in Fig;8. At a suitable position across this furnace are placed bars 1) p,which sustain the series of superheating-pipes l. These pipes areconstructed of straight pieces, ff, of gaspipe, screwing into returnbends g in the same manner. The free ends of the pipes are passedthrough the side of a chest, K and secured by lock-nuts in the samemanner as inthe retorts. The chest K is likewise formed with twocompartments, i i into which the opposite ends of'the superheating-pipeopen. Into the upper compartment opens the induction steam-pipe P fromthe boiler, and from the lower coinpartme'nt extends the supply-pipe L,before mentioned, that conducts the steam to the retorts. A circuit ofthe steam from the boiler is thus made through the superheating-pipes land discharged to the retorts. The superheating-pipes, in the positionshown and described, are so situated as to receive the best action ofthe fire, and to be easily removed from place by simply slippingdownendwise and passing out of the doorof the furnace. The height oftheoil is indicated in the retort by an ordinary gage B, connected atthetop and bottom by means of pipes s s, with the top and bottom of theretort, as indicated in .Fig. 1. I prefer to run one or both of thesepipes through a body of water, for the purpose of cooling the liquidthat enters the gage. In the drawings they are shown as passing throughthe tanks 1) D. If desired, the other retort m; y be supplied with agage in a similar manner. The operation of the apparatus beforedescribed is as follows: The air is exhausted by means of the air-pump,as before described. The primary retort A is now par..ially' say, aboutonehalf-fillcd with crude oil through supply-pipe Q, and the cock inpipea is closed to prevent passage toA. The steam'from the boiler is nowlet through the pipes gently, and the vapor soon begins to rise. Thenaphtha, which is the first product, is passed through the primaryapparatus B G E and deposited in receiver F, from whence it is drawn byclosing cock r in pipe E and opening the discharge and air cocks b c, asbefore described. A fire is now kindled in the superheating-ihrnace O,and a part of the remaining oil is drawn from A into A, which isaccomplished by partially cutting on the exhaust from A by cock d andturning it on toA by cock (7.. The partiallydistilled oil is now kept atthe proper level in A by feeding it from A, as described, and thedistillation in A becomes very effective, and. for a time, continuous. YThe-distilled oil from said retorts is thus carried over at once intothe receivers 1 F, where it is discharged at pleasure.

It will be seen that the retortA is used first forremoving thenaphtha,.and afterward for distilling cit-the lighter gravitiesofbnrningoil bymeans vof the-leteet-lieat contained in the exhaust-steam after itpasses from retort A, which latent heat would be otherwise lost. By thisarrangement, also,'the heated oil in retort A is fed-into A as fast asrequired, so that the superheat is used upon and' for distilling theheavier gravities oi'petroleu-ni eonstantly, while the latent heat whichstill re mains in the steam after passing from retort A issuflicienttoremove the lighter port-ions from the crude oil. By this duplication ofthe stillsl am enabled to remove the naphtha, while theoperation ofdistilling isimade more con tinnous than it otherwise could be; and inthis respect alone there .is a very great advantage over a single-actingvacuum s till, in

.which,'by a continuousfeed, the-naphtha must necessarily beincorporated with the distilled oil, or else, as ordinarily, the oildeposited in charges, which is a sou-rceiof difliculty.

The employment of theseries of goose-necks B B instead of the ordinarysingle goosaneck insures amore effective discharge. of the vapor, andalso, by presenting a larger surfuce, prcvent-s .the drawing over or"the contents of the retorts. The interposition of the capaciouscondenser or condensers (J Ojbetweeu' the coils E E and the retorts'isof much advantage in thisv respect, for it furnishes, so to speak, abreak to the action of the exhaust of the pump between the saidcoils andgoose-necks, which obviates the tendency to draw out the oil.

When the oil in retort -A has been reduced to the desired consistency itis discharged through pipe S, Fig. 2.

My object in this invent-ion is to afiord an easy and effectiveseparation of petroleum into products more valuable, as a whole, thanhave been heretofore produced. from crude oil. These products, as, I usethe apparatus, consist, where Pennsylvania .well oils are used, gravity45 Baum, of naphtha, say ten to twelve per cent, pure hydrocarbon oilfor illumination, say, forty-four to forty-eight per cent, heavy greenoil, valuable for ,currying and oilingleather, say, thirty-six to thirty-eight per cent.

It has been the object heretofore to produce from petroleum the largestpossible amount of,

kerosene or burning oil. Thisapparatus will not 'etfect that result;neither do I desire to prodnceseventy five, eighty, or ninety per cent,of illuminating distilled oil; but by long and diligent experiments Ihave discovered that the-separation of petrbleuin' into the constituentparts named, and into about the proportions named, results in greaterprofit to the manufacturer than otherwise, and the withindescribedapparatus is especially constructed to bring about the desired result.

Now, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

1. The combination of two or more vacuum petroleum-stills, so arrangedthat the oil is fed from one retort into the other asit increases inspecific gravity during the distillation, and economizing the use ofsteam used in the vaporization of the oil in the retorts, by passing itfirst through the heating-pipes in the retort containing the heavieroils, and afterward conducting it through the heating-pipes in theretort or retorts containing the oils of lighter specific gravity, asherein set forth.

2. The construction of a l'lOl'lZOlltfll elongated cylindrical orelliptical vacuum-retort for pctroleum, arranged and operating in themanner and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. Connecting the retorts oi'a vacuum-still with the condenser orcondensers by two or more goose-necks, so as todistribute the exhaust inthe retort or retorts, and thus prevent drawing the oil over, at thesame time facilitating the escape of the vapor, as herein set forth.

4. So combining the capacious' condenseror condensers with the retort orretorts and the condensing coil or coils that said capacious condenseror condensers will serve as acheek to diminish the direct action of theexhaustpump upon the oil in the retorts, as set forth.

5. Placing the re-ceivii'ig-vessels F F in such a position as to allowthe distilled'oilto be discharged by its own gravity and without passingthrough the-pump, as set forth.

6. Surrounding the upper portion of the retort or retorts by ajacket, orits equivalent, for the reception of steam or hot air to preventcondensation, as described.

7. The use, in combination with a vacuum still or stills for petroleumand a steam-generator, of an independent supcrheating-furnace forheating the steam, as specified.

8. The construction of said superheatingfurnace, in combination with asteam-boiler, substantially as and for the purpose set forth, when andin connection with a vacuum petroleum-still.

9. The construction of a superheater for distilling purposes withnumerous sections of small straight pipes for advantage ofheatingsurface, with facility of building and repairs, as shown. I

1( Connecting the main induction and eduetion steam-pipes L L, leadingfrom the superheater to the still, with the sections of smallheatingpipes within the retorts by means of a steam-chest, K, bolted tothe head of the still, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth. H

11. Placing the small sections of heatingpipes in the retort in uprightposition, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth. v

12. The application of an oil-gage to a "acuum petroleum-still, arrangedand operating substantially as set forth.

13. The combination of a steam-geuerator, superheatiug-furnace, andvacuum apparatus, as a whole, constructed and operating substantiallyinthe manner set forth.

14. Thesenaration of petroleum into the constituent parts specified andabout the proportions named by means of an apparatus as hereindescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name inthe presence of twosubscribing witnesses. v

HIRAM B. EVEREST.

Witnesses:

R. F. Oseoon,

JAY HYATT.

